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beginning of the letter from St Paul to
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Titus Paul servant of God and Apostle of
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Jesus Christ to lead God's elect of
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faith and to know the truth of godliness
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that is based on the hope of eternal
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life God who does not lie had promised
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this life since ancient times and at the
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appointed time manifested his word
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through the announcement entrusted to Me
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by order of God our savior to Titus my
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legitimate son in common Faith Grace and
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peace from God the Father and Jesus
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Christ Our Savior I left you in cre to
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organize what is still lacking and
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appoint pres bers in each City according
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to what I ordered you every candidate
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must be blameless the husband of one
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wife with believing children and not
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accused of being frivolous or
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insubordinate because the episcope must
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be blameless as an administrator
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appointed by God do not be arrogant or
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irascible nor given to Wine nor
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turbulent nor greedy for dishonest
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prophets but hospitable a friend of good
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thoughtful just Pious continent firmly
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committed to the faithful teaching of
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Doctrine so that you are capable of
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exhorting with only Doctrine and refute
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contradictor word of the Lord thank God
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proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
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Christ according to St Luke Glory To You
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Lord at that time Jesus said to his
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disciples it is inevitable that scandals
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will happen but woe to him who causes
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scandals it would be better for him if a
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millstone were tied around his neck and
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thrown into the sea rather than for one
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of these little ones to be scandalized
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pay attention pay attention
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if your brother sins rebuke him if he
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turns forgive him if he sins against you
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seven times in one day and comes to you
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seven times saying I Repent you must
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forgive him it the apostles said to the
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Lord increase our faith the Lord replied
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if you had Faith even as small as a
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mustard seed you could say to this
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mulberry tree be uprooted from here and
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planted in the sea and would obey you
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word of Salvation Glory To You
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Lord dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
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imagine a careful Gardener diligently
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selecting the seeds he will plant
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preparing the soil carefully watering
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with dedication this image helps us
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understand the central message of
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today's readings the importance of
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faithful leadership in the church and
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the responsibility we all have to one
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another in the Community of Faith in the
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letter to Titus Paul presents himself as
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a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus
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Christ what profound humility even
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though he was one of the greatest
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leaders of the early church Paul
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identifies himself first as a servant
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this is the essence of Christian
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leadership serving before commanding
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giving before receiving Paul writes to
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his true son in the common Faith giving
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Specific Instructions regarding the
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selection and character of church
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leaders it is fascinating to observe the
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criteria that Paul establishes he makes
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no mention of extraordinary eloquence
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Superior education or impressive
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administrative skills instead he
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emphasizes moral character and spiritual
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Integrity the bishop must be blameless
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writes Paul this word blameless does not
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mean absolute perfection but a life of
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consistent Integrity this is someone
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whose public life matches their private
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life Whose actions reflect their words
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Paul continues listing qualities husband
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of one wife with believing
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children not arrogant not wrathful not
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given to Wine not violent not greedy for
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dishonest gain note how these qualities
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are not extraordinary AR or superhuman
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they are characteristics of a life lived
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in Daily Fidelity in constant love in
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consistent Integrity this is where our
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reading of the Gospel intertwines
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perfectly with this message Jesus is
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talking about scandals literally
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stumbling blocks that cause others to
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fall it is inevitable that scandals will
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come says Jesus but woe to the one
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through whom they come what a serious
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warning Jesus is telling us that our
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actions have consequences not only for
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ourselves but for those around us each
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of us has the power to strengthen or
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weaken the faith of others through our
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words and actions think about that for a
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moment how many people do you know who
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have fallen away from the faith due to
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the hypocritical behavior of professing
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Christians how many have been hurt by
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religious leaders who did not live up to
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their calling the Scandal Jesus mentions
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is not just about great moral
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transgressions it's about anything that
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causes the little ones to stumble in
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their Journey of Faith but Jesus does
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not stop at warning he continues with an
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equally challenging teaching on
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forgiveness if your brother sins rebuke
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him and if he repents forgive him if he
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sins against you seven times in one day
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and comes to you seven times saying I
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Repent you will forgive him what an
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extraordinary command it's not just
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about forgiving once but continually
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it's not just about forgiving big
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offenses but the little daily
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irritations it's about creating a
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culture of Grace and Reconciliation in
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our communities the apostles hearing
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this respond in a very human way
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increase our faith they recognize that
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this kind of radical forgiveness this
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responsibility for one another require
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something beyond their own strength and
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Jesus responds if you had Fai the size
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of a mustard seed you would say to this
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mulberry tree be up rooted and planted
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in the sea and it would obey you Jesus
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is not talking about quantity of Faith
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but about the quality of Faith authentic
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Faith even small can accomplish the
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impossible so what do these readings
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mean for us today first we are called to
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recognize our responsibility for one
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another when whether as formal leaders
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in the church or simply as members of
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the faith community our actions and
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words impact the spiritual lives of
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others second we are challenged to live
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lives of consistent Integrity not
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authenticity not a superficial Holiness
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but a deep faithfulness that flows from
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a genuine relationship with God third we
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are called to create communities of
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Grace and forgiveness places where
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repentance is met with love where
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reconciliation is practiced regularly
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where restoration is always possible
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fourth we are reminded that all of this
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is beyond our natural capabilities we
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need the grace of God the power of the
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Holy Spirit even if our faith is as
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small as a mustard seed my dear brothers
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and sisters today we are invited to a
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journey of transformation a journey that
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takes us beyond our human limitations
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into Divine possibility a journey that
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calls us to be both servant leaders and
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faithful followers imagine what it would
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be like if each of us lived this way if
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in every interaction every decision
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every moment of conflict we remembered
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our responsibility for each other if we
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practiced the radical forgiveness that
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Jesus teaches if we lived with the
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Integrity that Paul describes how our
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transformed how our churches would be
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renewed how our society would be
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impacted may we like that careful
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Gardener cultivate the seeds of Faith
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integrity and forgiveness in our lives
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and communities May the Holy Spirit
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Empower us to be servant leaders and
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faithful followers May our little faith
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by the grace of God accomplish The
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Impossible and May the peace of Christ
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which surpasses all understanding guard
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our hearts and Minds in the love of God
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amen St Michael the Archangel defend Us
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in battle be our protection against the
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wickedness and snares of the devil may
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God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
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thou o Prince of the Heavenly Host by
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the power of God cast into hell Satan
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and all the evil spirits who prowl
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throughout World seeking the ruin of
